Mike Perry named as backup fighter for Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury boxing bout in Saudi Arabia

Jake Paul and Tommy Fury are officially set to fight in a boxing bout on Feb. 25, 2023, in Saudi Arabia. It’s a bout that Paul has been trying to set up for two years with no success.

Their first booking in Dec. 2021 was called off after Fury reportedly suffered a rib injury that kept him from training. Another bout set for Aug. 2022 fell apart when Fury discovered he was unable to enter the United States because of his brother Tyson Fury’s alleged connections to the Kinahan drug cartel.

With all these pull-outs, it’s no surprise Paul has dubbed his opponent “Tommy Fumbles.”

But, what if “Fumbles” fumbles the bag again for this Saudi Arabia fight? Not to worry, sports fans. Paul has already lined up a decent backup that may interest mixed martial arts (MMA) fans: “Platinum” Mike Perry.

Paul announced Perry’s part in the show during a press conference this weekend.

“Yeah, we have Mike Perry on standby,” he said. “Let’s go, Mike Perry! Yeah, he’s ready to jump in in case Tommy pulls out.”

Perry is a UFC and Bare Knuckle FC veteran who has racked up a respectable three-fight win streak with just his fists. He defeated 27-3 boxer Michael Seals in the three-sided Triad ring, then bare-knuckle boxed Julian “Let Me Bang, Bro” Lane and Michael “Venom” Page to decision wins in 2022.

It was quite the improvement from his UFC tenure, where he amassed an entertaining but uneven 7-8 record between 2016 and 2021.

“Platinum” had told media outlets back in Dec. 2022 that Team Paul had sent him a contract to fight, only to go radio silent immediately after. In hindsight, it looks like he was a backup in case negotiations with the Fury family went bad. Now, he continues to be a backup, but in a more official capacity.

Here’s hoping he gets paid to be on call, because the vibe on this latest Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury booking is that the fight will finally happen.